safed.co.li

Author: byishimo

  • Anat Edri

    Although born and bred in Safed, Anat Edri moved to the bustling city of Tel Aviv at age 23. However, after ten years of living and working by the sea, she missed the mountains and decided to return to her home town.

    Anat Edri And Jacob's Knights

     

    Artist And Musician

    Working as both an artist and a musician, Anat combines her pointillist pictures of Safed, its views and characters,

    with songs of spiritual longing. She is a member of the Artists Colony of Safed and has her own art gallery on the Gallery Street near Alkabetz and Sarah’s Tent. Despite having studied painting with the well known artist Rolly Schaffer for four years and having her own gallery, Anat feels that she also needs to express herself through her other love – music.

    Singer Songwriter

    Anat has been playing guitar and singing since she was a young child and formed her first band at the age of sixteen. She has played the usual combination of bar mitzvahs and weddings in a variety of bands and now performs using her own material. She has developed her songwriting to suit her very distinctive voice, which has a wide range of tones and is very poignant. Her songs are spiritual and describe visions, expressing a love of God. However, as a woman singer, it has been difficult for her because many strictly religious people forbid women from singing or performing in front of, or with, men in order to preserve modesty. As many local resident

    s are very observant it has therefore been hard for Anat to find a suitable venue in Safed in which to play.

    Jacob’s Knights

    Her current band, Jacob’s Knights, comprises of Anat; Eran Madmon, a classical and flamenco guitarist; and Yair Mor, a percussionist. They travel all over the country playing an ethnic style of music. The songs, sung of course in Hebrew, have a haunting quality and speak to the soul. As well as playing live, the band has recorded a CD, Ad Elorha (Until God) at the studio Shhar in Rosh Pina. Anat has also made a slide show of her paintings that accompany the band’s music on their Myspace page. The band has been together for j

    ust over a year and often can be found playing nearby in Rosh Pina. Anat and Eran also work together, accompanying each other on their own individual projects.

    Looking Forward

    Anat wants to continue to develop herself creatively in both her art and her music. By working in both paint and sound she brings something to both her paintings and her music that is more than the sum of the two parts. Anat feels that Safed feeds her

    soul both musically and artistically and that without Safed she couldn’t develop her creativity, even if there might be more commercial opportunities for her talents in the center of the country.

    She can be found in her gallery in Safed painting, and in various venues throughout the country playing with her band.

    Contact

    To find out more about the band, Anat, her music and her paintings, you can visit her in her gallery, or reach by phoning: 050 866 3872 or email her: artgallery18@gmail.com

     

  • Safed-Based Band

    A new band called InGathering based in Safed consists of four musicians: lead singer and songwriter for the group Baruch Emanuel Erdstein, Yonatan Razel, Ben Canar, and Shachar Kaufman. Ingathering released a debut album in 2008 called Connection. The group draws on a variety of musical styles including funk, rock, reggae, ethnic, and jazz. The band attempts to weave into their music mystical themes relating to Kabbalah and to world redemption.

    Diverse Influences

    Safed-Based Band

     

    The fledgling band has been influenced by such diverse musicians as Gil Scott Heron, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Toots Hibbert, and The Allman Brothers Band. The songs contain material from classical interpretations of kabbalistic texts. Erdman says the band’s goal is to help, “jump-start the redemption,” and terms the band’s product, “some really high conscious music.”

    At the start, Erdman decided to compose songs in all Hebrew, but at some point, the songwriter decided that adding in some English would give the music a wider appeal that would attract a larger world audience. Erdman went all out in his efforts to give the band’s music a spiritual presence.

    Much of the music in Connection was recorded in the forested areas of the northern Galilee overlooking the tomb of the great kabbalist Yonatan Ben Uziel. Uziel was considered the translator of the written Torah and illuminated some of the more mystical aspects of the Jewish holy books. Erdman hopes this newest music project follows suit by offering a taste of the original Torah texts.

    Novel Instrumentation

    InGathering employs the use of some novel instruments, such as a shofar on the song called Neshilat Nefesh. Erdman explains that the shofar has always been used as a tool to awaken the Jewish spirit. One can also hear the saz, a Turkish string instrument, similar to the mandolin, but quite long-necked. There’s also a lot of oud, courtesy of Ben Canaar, whom Erdman terms the “mastermind of music on the album.”

    The fusion of funk, rock, and Motown on the album gives a clue to the band’s name: Ingathering. Erdman explains that the idea of redemption is defined by bringing diverse people together. He tries to create an exemplar of this through musical fusion—different genres and various ethnic instruments. The music must be seamless in order to get the idea across that opposites can achieve unity for a holy cause.

    Erdman feels that every Jew is sent into our current exile in order to find something that must be emphasized and brought to the whole of the Jewish people. Since Erdman hails from the Detroit area, he brings the sound of Motown to the Jewish music sphere.

  • Studying Music In Safed

    There are several ways to learn music in Safed: individual lessons by private teachers, activities at local community centers and more formally in private music schools like the School of Music, which is part of Safed College.

    Music Diploma

    Studying Music In Safed

     

    Located on the Midrahov in the College’s Arts and Design building, up some side stairs next door to the Milano restaurant, the School of Music offers a 3 year diploma course in Jewish, Arabic and Middle Eastern Music.

    Types Of Students

    The school is made up of an eclectic mix of people and has teachers and students from all parts of the Jewish community, religious and secular, and from the local Arab communities as well.

    This enables students to come into contact with a wide range of musical styles and traditions. Students are encouraged to develop their own style and share their musical background with the other students. The individual input of students is considered ve

    ry important and their personal religious needs and sensibilities are taken into account. This means that, for example, religious women who are uncomfortable singing in front of men or men who prefer not to hear women singing for religious reasons are accommodated, and can still take the course. With only twelve students accepted each year into the program and only five members on the staff, the student/staff ration is very good and allows for everyone to get the individual attention they need to develop themselves musically.

    Experiential Course

    In only the second year of the program, the School offers a unique experiential approach to the learning of music. Students play a wide range of instruments from traditional Klezmer instruments such as the accordion and the violin, to Middle Eastern ones like the oud as well as the more conventional flute and guitar. The school emphasizes playing together in ensembles and this comprises 30-35% of the course content.

    By playing together the students are able to grow together and they integrate their learning in a practical way by putt

    ing on concerts for themselves and their family and friends. They also put on public concerts twice a year in local venues. Students have individual instrument lessons as well as group classes and are also encouraged to improvise and to compose their own music if they wish. The course offers both practical and theory classes and runs two days per week.

    Access Course

    There is a free access course, held prior to the academic year, available for prospective students who have talent, but may not have all the requisite skills, e.g. ability to read music. This access course is intended to bring students up to the necessar

    y level to benefit from the course.

    Qualification

    This course gives the students a Musical Performance Diploma enabling the students to teach music privately, while giving them the skills they need to feel confident as performing musicians. The school hopes that the Diploma will eventually be upgraded to a full degree which would qualify successful students to teach in Israeli schools.

    Fees & Admission

    There are 12 students in each year, and admission is by audition.

    Fees for the Diploma are 12,000 shks per year, with grants available.

    Contact

    For further information, enquiries about the access course and to enroll for the next academic year

    contact: Pinto Sima (04) 692 7851 or email: simap@zefat.ac.il

  • Chava Rachel Saban

    A professional classical violinist in a symphony orchestra before coming to live in Israel 11 years ago, Chava Rachel Saban decided to change her musical track. Interested in jazz and improvisation, she began to play jazz music as well as take up the Irish

    Chava Rachel Saban fiddle. The musical freedom this gave enabled her to begin to improvise and compose her own music. As she tapped into her roots she gradu

    ally became more observant and brought in more and more Jewish themes and melodies to her music.

    Music And Prayer

    These days she sees music as a form of prayer and feels that when she is singing and playing she is helping to bring about the promised Redemption of the Jewish people. She bases a lot of her songs and melodies on the Psalms and uses her music as a way for prayer and healing. Every Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the new Jewish month, as part of her religious practice, Chava R

    achel invites women to join her with their instruments to play music and sing Hallel.

    Recordings

    Her style falls into the world/folk music genre but she is happy to use electronic effects in her recordings. Although as a religious Jewish woman she is not comfortable performing with or in front of men, she has recorded on their CD’s, e.g. Banjo Billy’s, as a different process is involved. As for her own recordings she writes and records a new CD every year or two.

    Suzuki Method Music School

    Having studied music from a young age with the well known Japanese Suzuki Method herself, Chava Rachel als

    o runs a private school teaching violin and flute using this system.

    Pupils learn by listening to recordings and listening to one another playing without having to read music. This makes it very easy for very young children to learn to play as they learn intuitively by ear, the way they learn to speak. The children feel that the instrument becomes like their voice so that any song children can sing, they can play. Chava Rachel has found that this method is most successful with extremely young children, and likes her students to start learning at as young as three.

    Although it may take longer to learn initially than conventional methods, the children are not restricted by the

    “dots” and therefore the whole world of music opens up to them. Chava Rachel encourages children to improvise and express themselves through music and some of them even end up composing their own songs.

    Chava Rachel has adapted the method away from traditional western classical music to embrace Jewish music according to the season, so for example at Pessach time, the children will concentrate on Pessach songs, at Hanukah, Hanukah songs, and so on. She has recorded CD’s at three different levels, aleph, bet and gimmel, which the children use at home to practice. Students have a private lesson with her once a week and a group lesson once a month. She teaches girls of all ages and boys up to the age of Bar Mitzvah.

    Women’s Workshops And Performances

    Chava Rachel gives women and girls private and group voice training classes as well as running a variety of workshops in both Hebrew and English. During the Klezmer festival she likes to put on a women only concert, and the rest of the year performs for visiting women’s groups and seminaries at local hotels and other venues in the area.

    Contact

    For further information about classes, upcoming concerts and workshops contact:

    Chava Rachel Saban 04 699 9651 or email: crysaban@netvision.net.il

     

  • Classical Music

    If you want to hear really great classical music you don’t have to go all the way to Haifa or Tel Aviv. You can actually hear it right here in Safed at the Yigal Allon Cultural Center.

    Subscription Series

    Classical Music

     

    During the winter from November to March there is a subscription series of classical concerts held at the Yigal Allon. This series brings well known prominent classical musicians, such as members of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and others, to Safed for a variety of concerts. This means that locals and residents of the north can hear great chamber music without having to travel to the center of the country. This year’s players included Roman Rabinovich, the winner of the 2008 Rubinstein Competition in a piano recital.

    The Safed Music Festival

    This classical music festival has been running in Safed for the last four years under the impetus and guidance

    of Musical Director, Ada Peleg, the conductor of the Israel Virtuosi Orchestra. Held in July each year it offers a series of quality concerts which attract people from all over the north. Last year’s Festival included a classic version of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” as well as a variety of chamber music.

    Master Classes

    Every year the music festival has offered a series of Master classes and last year Safed was very privileged to have the distinguished British conductor Colin Metters presenting the classes.

    Ada Pelleg

    Ada Pelleg is a well known Israeli conductor and has conducted the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra as well as her own Israel Virtuosi Orchestra. She is also the Music Director of the Haifa Music Center and the Israel International Flute Competition.

    Ada is not only the Musical Director of the Safed Classical Music Festival; she is the driving force behind it. She plans the festival itself and she uses her personal contacts to encourage artists of an international caliber to come to Safed and participate in the Festival and the winter concert series.

    As part of her personal commitment to Safed and the Festival, she arranged for a really good Yamaha piano to be lent to the Yigal Allon Theater, which otherwise wouldn’t have a piano of sufficient standard

    She would like the Classical Festival to be as well known as the Klezmer Festival and by starting the subs

    cription series of concerts in the winter is busy building a local audience.

    She hopes to expand the Festival and the subscription series in the future but like most artists everywhere she struggles to get sufficient funding and sponsorship.

    Safed 2009 Festival

    This year’s festival is planned for July 2nd -4th 2009 and the program is still to be confirmed. Opportunities to sponsor or fund individual aspects of the program are still available and interested parties should contact Ada Pelleg direct. adapelleg@haifamusic.co.il

    For further information about subscription concert tickets or the Festival

    contact Michal 054 565 6056

  • Venues

    Apart from the Klezmer Festival when Safed is bursting with music lovers everywhere, there is no venue in town that puts on regular music gigs throughout the year. However, there are plenty of musicians in Safed and when the weather is warm you can often hear people jamming together outside in the squares and courtyards of Safed.

    Ascent

    The Ascent hostel, on Ari street, often has musical events as part of its overall program for visiting groups and these are usually open to the general public.

    Avraham’s Tent

    Avraham’s Tent is a small venue seating around 40 people which hosts a variety of music on an ad hoc basis, mainly during the summer. Located in a bomb shelter in the Artists Quarter near the Rimonim Inn Hotel, this venue gives local musicians an opportunity to play together. Musicians can also hire the venue themselves and put on their own gigs. For further information or to hire the venue contact Amram Cohen 0509 733 700

    Beirav Synagogue

    On Saturday nights throughout the year after Shabbat has ended, (except when not allowed halachically) you can bring your instruments and join in singing religious songs in the style of Shlomo Carlebach. The Beirav is also a venue during the Klezmer Festival.

    The Canaan Gallery

    On occasional Thursday evenings during the summer the Canaan Gallery presents a selection of traditional Middle Eastern and other ethnic music, including Ladino, in its licensed restaurant. They can host around 50 people and there is an admission charge. For more details contact Yair Moore 04 697 4449

    The Khan Of The White Donkey

    The Khan, which was a Turkish Inn in the 19th century, and is situated in the Artists Quarter, is currently being renovated for the Center for Healthy Living. Among other activities, they are planning to run musical evenings on a regular basis during the summer. With its own professional lighting and sound system, the Khan will be able to offer a range of music from classical, ethnic, and jazz, to world music. It hopes to be a venue that will attract not only local musicians but also people from all over the Galilee and the rest of the north. Able to hold up to a hundred people in an intimate atmosphere, the venue will also be available for private hire. For more details phone 054 323 9880

    Maximillian Cafe

    The Maximillian is planning to host regular acoustic music evenings on Thursday evenings during the summer in its courtyard.

    The Red Khan

    A 13th century building from the Mameluke period, the Red Khan is used as a venue during both the Classical and Klezmer Music Festivals. Holding up to 400 people, it is available for hire for community, private and public events. For more information contact zeevpearl@walla.com.

    Wolfson Community Center

    The inner courtyard is a venue during the Klezmer Festival and it is also regularly used during school holidays as a venue for various youth and music events.

    Yigal Allon

    The Yigal Allon Cultural Center is one of the venues for the Klezmer Festival and seats over 700. During the winter it also hosts a subscription series of classical concerts and has been the main venue for the Safed Classical Music Festival and its series of Master Classes for the last four summers.

    The parking area outside is also used as a venue during the Klezmer Festival.

    What’s On Now ?

    For information about what’s on: contact individual venues, look at posters and banners around town or check elsewhere on our website.

     

    Music Venues

  • The Music Scene Of Safed

    If you are hoping to learn more about the music scene in the city of Safed then look no farther. Here you will find information about the many musicians and musical acts in and around Safed and also get the inside information on the best venues for hearing Safed’s music performed.

    Safed's Musicians

    Safed Musicians

    Check out our articles on some of the most well-known and popular muscians in Safed like Banjo Billy, Chava Rachel Saban, Baruch Emanuel Erdstein and his band InGathering, Anat Edry, Diana Marcovitz, Eran Madom, Dor Deah, and Chaim Dovid.

    Safed Music Venues

    Also find out more about where you can hear your favorite Safed musicans play by checking out our articles on Safed’s music venues, classical music in Safed, Safed’s School of Music, and Safed’s music youth scene.

     

  • Klezmer Festival Tzfat 2018

    The Safed Klezmer Festival is back! This year, it will start on Tuesday, August 14 and run

    Klezmer 2018through Thursday, August 16. See the Safed municipal page for more details on Klezmer 2018. You can also check in with the official Klezmerim site.

    We will also keep you posted when we find out more details about the performers and performance times.

    For information by phone, call +972 4 692 7484/5.

  • Klezmer Festival 2017

    It’s that time of year again! This normally sleepy mountain town is about to become the place to hear the world’s best Klezmer music. For Klezmer 2017, the festival will be held from August 22 through August 24.

    Five Stages, Dozens of Musicians – all Free!

    Safed's exciting 30th Klezmer Festival

     

    This year, Safed celebrates its 30th annual festival and will host dozens of world-reknowned performers on five outdoor stages. And it is all free!

    In addition to music, the town transforms into a carnival with stalls selling local crafts, kids’ toys, clothing, delicious fast food and impressive fireworks every evening at 10pm. Wandering though the cobbled alleys, you are also sure to discover many street musicians playing impromptu music. You may even hear drumming till dawn!

    Check out the Klezmer schedule here.

    International Master Classes

    Starting on August 16 and running through August 22 are the International Master Classes. The classes are led by famous musicians who give local children an opportunity to learn with and perform with the best. The classes focus on classical music, ethnic Arab music and Klezmer. You can drop in to watch and at night, enjoy a free concert and jam session.

    Free Safed Tours

    The town also hosts free walking tours where you can learn the history of the town, explore archaeological sites and visit local artists.

    There is no better time to visit Tsfat. Just be aware that the police close the roads into Tzfat at 5pm on Klezmer days so get there early. Otherwise, you can take a bus in from two designated Klezmer festival parking lots.

    Here’s a sneak preview from a previous concert.

  • Tzfat Klezmer Festival 2016

    The 29th annual Klezmer Festival will be Monday, August 15, Tuesday, August 16 and Wednesday, August 17.

    Klezmer Festival 2016 in TzfatCome for the whole festival or for one night. This international festival is the largest Jewish soul music festival in the world. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year.

    During these three evenings, there will be non-stop music on several stages throughout the Old City of Safed. If you plan to come for Klezmer in Tzfat, book your accommodation soon as every bed in town will be taken! If you come for one evening and are driving up, you will have to park your car at a designated lot outside Tsfat and then take a shuttle. When you arrive, pick up a program of events and stroll from stage to stage. This year, we’ve counted 35 artists and bands who will be performing in 70 concerts on five outdoor stages….under starry skies in the cool Tsfat night, of course!

    Aside from three evenings of magical music, there is much more to do in Tsfat – for free! Check out the Klezmer Festival 2016 activities.

     

    Klezmer Schedule 2016

    Monday 15th August

    Time   Saraya –

    Outside

    		 Maayan Radum Kikar Sade

     

    		   Gan Ha Kasum City Hall Stage  
    20.30 21.30   Simply Tzfat Mosa Berlin Chanan Bar Sela Chanan Rosenzweig Kaitlin Klezmer Band  
    21.30

    22.30

    		   Kleibedik Adi Arad “Come in Peace” Cookie Siegelstein Trio Ita and Dov Zilberman Sonia Kreuter and Acoustic Drive Band  
    22.30

    23.30

    		   Daniel Zamir Mosa Berlin

     

     

    		 Chanan Bar Sela   Chanan Rosenzweig

    Meiron Melodies

    		 Klezmershpiel Arkady Goldstein  
    23.30

    00.30

    		 Yonatan Razel

    Hosts

    Daniel Zamir

    		 Adi Arad “Come in Peace” Cookie Siegelstein Trio Eric Sbabo ‘Tz’iokovlih’

    Uri Gorodski

    		  

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    00.30

    01.30

    		 Yonatan Razel Merlin and Paulina Shepherd  Simply Tzfat Trio Moldova Alex Moldovski

    Tuesday 16th August
    20.00

    21.00

    		   Gilad Efrat Aharon Razel Mirel Reznick Ita and Dov Zilberman Kaitlin Klezmer Band  
    21.00

    22.00

    		   Sonia Kreuter Klezmer Zichron Yaacov

     

    		 Aggadata Niflaot Trio Express  
    22.00

    23.00

    		 Aharon Razel Nir Sarisi Chords of Carlebach Mirel Reznick The New Time Ita and Dov Zilberma

    n

    		 Gefilte DriveAlexander Kottler

     

    		  

     

     
    23.00

    00.00

    		 Shimon Buscaglia Nir Sarisi Chords of Carlebach

     

    		 Cookie Siegelstein Trio Oded and Friends Sonia Kreuter and Express Drive Band

     
    00.00

    01.00

    		   Kol Israel  Merlin and Paulina Shepherd Klezmershpiel Arkadi Goldstein  

    Wednesday 17th August
    20.00

    21.00

    		   World Klezmer Stars

     

    		 Jerusalem Flowers Itzik Mayar until Mr. Shankar   Ita and Dov Zilberman Klezmer Shpiel with Arkadi Goldstein

     

     

    		  
    21.00

    22.00

    		   Sonia Kreuter Bea Sharon Mazal Girls Israel Zohar Zvi Gluzman Moldova Shpiel with Alex Moldovski  
    22.00

    23.00

    		 Ayal Shiloach

    Hosts Nir Sarisi

    		 Yehuda Katz Itzik Mayar until Mr. Shankar Ilya Vogelnik Michael Gorodetsky  

     

     
    23.00

    00.00

    		 Rami Kleinstein hosts Chanan ben Ari Dov Handler Carlebach Now Maalox Volume Tsfat S

    onia Kreuter and Acoustic Drive Band

    		  
    00.00

    01.00

    		 Rami Kleinstein  Yiddishkwit “Carlebach Melodies”  D. Gasan Trio  Merlin and Paulina Shepherd Vera Lu

    zinski and Frilax Band